SHILLONG, May 11: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has vociferously pitched for integrating the indigenous skills of the North East region with the available advance technology so that more and more rural populace can be benefitted.

While asserting for taking the skill development on mission mode, Tuki called for enabling the regional planning body like North Eastern Council (NEC) with the powers and functions for ensuring hundred percent success of the important social security and youth development programme in the region.

Tuki was participating in the discussion of the regional consultation programme of the Sub-group of Chief Ministers on skill development under NITI Aayog which was convened by Punjab Chief Minister here at State Convention Centre today.

“Our people are specialized in indigenous skills like art-feds, crafts, handloom and handicrafts etc. which if properly guided with advance technological skills, can do wonders. It can fetch them a handsome earning and make the profession economically viable”, Tuki said and requested the Centre to provide adequate fund for the programme.

While informing that Arunachal Pradesh is rich in natural resource with its dense forest having the potential of aromatic and medicinal plants, Chief Minister submitted that the state should be allowed to exploit some of its resources like the Anti-Cancer Plant (Taxus) through some professionally trained hands that could extract the medicinal plant without disturbing the natural growth of the endangered species. He suggested for specialised skill development courses for such economic activities.

“We have taken skill development and employment generation on mission mode which have resulted in fetching us the India’s Best Project Award - 2014”, Tuki revealed. He further informed that the youths from the state are now working in almost all the metro-cities across the country and many have gone abroad.

The Chief Minister disclosed that his government would provide one lakh job in the 12th five year plan and has till 31st March 2014 created and self employed 31048 people. More than 5000 youths have been sponsored by the state government for skill development training through job melas in the state capital and district headquarters and many more are in the pipeline.

Apart from establishing Industrial Training Institute – one each in every district, Chief Ministers Livelihood Schools would be established in every assembly constituency, CM informed.

He further revealed that the state is planning to create skill development training infrastructure and facilitate single window system on skill development programme for all departments.

Tuki further emphasized on the need to do research and survey on the skill gap and work for its fulfillment through all means.Next meeting of the sub-group of Chief Ministers on skill development will be held at Chattisgarh on a later date.